Limitless
by Akizuki Sai
Summary: They are victims of time, of circumstances, of fate. And they have nothing to hold on to, nothing to anchor them to safety. Except, maybe, just maybe, the limits of faith and love.
1. This is the beginning

He finds her smiling, blooming, and five months pregnant in a one-bedroom apartment in Meguro, a couple of kilometers south of his office.

She leads him promptly into the living room, and the first thing he notices is a grand piano taking up most of the space of the room.

"I'm sorry. You know how foolish Tamaki is," she says with a laugh upon the sight of his startled eyes. His eyes soften at her laughter, understanding her words, and he hands her a packet of tea.

"It's peppermint; goes well with sweets and won't make you nauseous," he says, and with a smile she goes to the kitchen and takes a teapot from a cabinet. While waiting for her, he takes his time to scan the room, realizing how smaller it is compared to what he remembers of her previous home back in high school, but it is just as clean and organized. The windows are facing east, allowing the sun to bathe the room with warmth and light, and it gives a good view of the neighborhood and of a park nearby.

"I thought you're going with the twins," she tells him upon returning with the tea.

With a small "Thank you," he takes a sip and grumbles, "They're late, so I went ahead," and she tries her best to stifle a giggle, but fails miserably.

"What's so funny?" he asks, indignant, and inwardly noting how time managed to breathe in wisdom in her dark eyes while keeping the mirth and naïveté he has always known her for.

"I'm sorry. It's just that I haven't heard you talk like that in a long while, that's all," she says. Her voice sounds wistful, and he feels his cheeks turn warm. Running out of things to say, he averts his gaze to the window, and watches passers-by walk their way to the train station. He finds the neighborhood far from superior, but there is something about its plainness that gives it a distinct atmosphere. He cannot put his finger on it, but it soothes him. Perhaps, it is the idea of her walking the same streets every morning, groceries in hand, and sometimes dear Antoinette's leash, or maybe it is the thought of her looking at the same view in the humbly furnished apartment, humming an old tune she remembers of her childhood while knitting (though he is still quite unsure if she knits), he cannot really tell.

"So how's your day?" she asks. He knows it's her attempt to start a conversation, but a part of him cannot help chuckling at the thought on how everything looks like a scene in a TV drama, or maybe even a movie. She, sitting across him with her long chocolate hair catching light from the sun, and him, sipping tea she poured, like a man of the house who just came home after a day of hard work.

It is, of course, impossible. He is, after all, the best friend of her husband, and she is the wife of his best friend. It is not the other way around: he as the husband (or even the wife); and it will never be possible, so he answers her with a small, "Fine as always," and they end up having nothing to talk about – which is strange since they have known each other for years. Of course, there has to be something they can talk about. Heck, even people who just met minutes ago can talk about something – the weather, the coming winter, even the tea, but silence hangs in the air, and neither of them attempts to slice through it.

Time simply passes, minutes seeming like hours. It feels like forever; but it is not forever, because forever has no end, and that moment ends when the door opens, revealing another man with groceries in hand.

"Kyoya! You're here early. Oh! Look! I did the groceries today! I think I am actually getting good at this," his best friend says with his childish grin, holding out the grocery bags like prized trophies. She scolds him lightly for taking so long, but her voice is so light and tinged with amusement, and it does not seem like she is scolding him at all.

Her words make everything so clear, and he smiles at their antics, at the same time wondering why his chest feels so heavy as if somebody has put heavy weights in it.

* * *

**LIMITLESS**

**An Ouran Host Fanfic by Akizuki Sai**

**Standard Disclaimers Apply**

* * *

"So what are you planning to name the baby?" he asks them over lunch, attempting to tuck his thoughts at the back of his mind, knowing far too well that the couple will be worried if he remains silent the whole time.

It is, apparently, the wrong question to ask, for they have not decided on any yet – and are still bickering with each other about it every time the topic is raised.

Tamaki, having spent half of his life in France, wants to name the baby Marianne or Francois if it is a girl, or Pierre or Basile if it is a boy (they still don't know the baby's gender). Haruhi, on the other hand, wants to name the child after her deceased mother or after its grandfather if it is a boy.

Listening to the two bicker makes his head ache, and his chest heavier (though he does not know why), so he decides to change the topic by asking her about her pregnancy.

The bickering, much to his relief, halts, and she starts to talk about her food cravings; how she loves strawberries (especially if it's cooled in the fridge for a couple of hours, and topped with a small amount of cream), and how she one day ends up wearing one of her husband's oversized shirts because her blouses do not fit anymore.

In the middle of her story, she mentions their plans of staying in Karuizawa till she gives birth next spring, and Kyoya, surprised and confused, looks at Tamaki questioningly. He is not aware of any plans of moving to Karuizawa, but before he can ask about it, the rest of the former Host Club members arrive, lively and excited.

"I thought you're going back to the Suoh Estate," Kyoya manages to say to Tamaki after lunch. Haruhi is at the bedroom, taking a nap, and the twins are doing the dishes (after much protests – they have given up as soon as Kyoya gives them a deadly glare), while Mori and Hunny are out to buy some sweets, and it is just the two of them at the living room, Tamaki, playing the piano. The first movement of the Mozart Sonata in D Major for 2 Pianos – Haruhi's favorite. It is also the piece that made Kyoya cry. Once.

"Grandmother still disapproves of our marriage," Tamaki tells him, his hands focused on the keys.

Kyoya says nothing and closes his eyes. He is tired. He has not been sleeping well for the last couple of weeks (med school, as well as his position at his family's corporation, has taken up most of his time) and his heart still feels heavy. It is past one in the afternoon, and he is full (Haruhi's cooking is wonderful), and Tamaki's playing makes everything look like a blur to him.

"I see," he says after a long pause. "What do you plan to do from now then?"

"We'll do fine," is all Tamaki says, and Kyoya gives a small smile, looks at Tamaki straight in the eye, and says, "Idiot of idiots" with a chuckle.

**TBC**


	2. Things taking a turn of its own

Everything in Kyoya's eyes seems to move at a fast rate. After his Host Club days, it is as if somebody left the fast forward button on, and everything he sees, hears and feels is fleeting. There are times when everything seems to slow down, pause for a bit, and he will catch his breath and drink in everything, but most of the time the fast forward button is on.

A week after his lunch with the Suohs, everything seems to move in slow motion. He is listless, and barely listens to his father's usual talk over breakfast, finding his cup of warm cocoa more interesting. His older sister, Fuyumi, has bought it the other day, thinking this will keep him from drinking too much coffee. Too much caffeine keeps you up till the wee hours in the morning, she says.

He has tried reminding her several times that cocoa have caffeine just as well, but he never gets around to saying it. His sister barely listens to anybody when she is being her motherly-sisterly figure, just like whenever she makes a mess of his closet in attempts of organizing it. He knows it is useless to try, but he tries just the same.

Things seem to move slower during his exam; a hundred and eighty questions are to be answered in an hour and a half. He has prepared for it weeks ago, and finishes it a third of the time. Instead of turning his paper in though, he opts to remain in his desk, pretending to be absorbed in his papers.

A glance from his watch tells him it is almost noon, and he remembers his conversation with the twins earlier that morning. They have crashed in his bedroom an hour since he went to bed (5 am), asking him to join them for a shopping trip for the Suohs who are to live that afternoon for Karuizawa.

Kyoya's wrath when his sleep is disturbed is scary, but his temper dies down rapidly upon remembering that it is Tamaki and Haruhi's last day in Tokyo. He can't believe he actually lost track of time.

The twins take his reaction a great improvement, but their joy is short-lived.

"I can't go. I have an exam and a meeting afterwards," Kyoya tells them in a bare whisper. The twins cannot tell if he is sleepy or hesitant, or maybe both, but either of which they know there is no use insisting. With a promise to call him later, the twins leave the room, disappointed. And Kyoya ends up not sleeping anymore.

He is tired, and his heart still feels heavy, and sleep won't simply come his way.

"_They'll be leaving at 2, make sure you come, okay?_" the twins have told him in chorus.

* * *

**LIMITLESS**

**An Ouran Host Fanfic by Akizuki Sai**

**Standard Disclaimers Apply**

* * *

It is already a quarter past one, and Kyoya is seating in his office, absent-mindedly going over papers his secretary, Mrs. Ono, has handed him earlier. His meeting is cancelled, but he finds himself not budging from his seat, and reaching for his mobile phone at his coat pocket. Looking at the view from his office window, he dials a number.

"Tamaki, I'm sorry I won't be able to see you and Haruhi off today. There's a lot of work at the office," he says, noting how busy the streets look compared to the Suohs' simple neighborhood. The sky is a shade of gray and blue, and it looks like it is going to rain.

"I'll visit you one time, probably next weekend… Yes, I know. I'm sorry. Stop whining, you idiot! … Yes, take care."

When he hangs-up, his heart feels heavier, and time seems to move slower. His secretary arrives with some coffee, and he asks her to bring him a cup of chocolate instead, and the rain starts to pour.

Kyoya goes home early that day, joins his family for dinner, and goes straight to bed. He cannot sleep and ends up having a staring competition with the ceiling. It is still raining, and the sound of water against his windows fills the room.

Tamaki and Haruhi are probably at the Misuzu Pension by now, perhaps having dinner. Tamaki will most likely be playing the piano at the dining hall afterwards, and Haruhi will listen to him play while enjoying the warmth of the fire in a small armchair near the fireplace. Antoinette will be seating near her feet, pacing the room through and forth from time to time, and then Haruhi will start talking to Tamaki about her plans for the nursery. The room will be a nice shade of blue and green, with little stars and clouds painted in the walls. They will line the cradle with stuffed toys – Tamaki's Kuma-chan and a pink Usa-chan Haruhi once got in a festival among them – and a mobile of angels.

The two make such a wonderful couple, he thinks to himself, and he finds his lids becoming heavy, his heart feeling lighter.

He does not know how long he has been sleeping when the sound of his phone ringing fills the room, and he groggily gets up and answers it.

"Hikaru? What's the matter?" he asks, disgruntled, his voice menacing. It will take him another hour and a half just to get back to sleep, if worse comes to worst he will end up not sleeping at all. "This better be im—"

He does not get to finish his sentence for the next words he hears make him pale, and he drops the phone on the carpeted floor.

"_There was an accident."_

**TBC**

* * *

Random Note/s:

- The characters in the story are in their late 20's in this story (around 28). Kyoya, being Kyoya, is taking his MBA degree.


	3. God, please don't do this

It is late, and Kyoya is the only passenger at the green class of the Nagano Shinkansen, allowing him to scream on his phone without any worry of scaring anybody. It will take him about an hour and a half to get to Karuizawa. The Nagano Shinkansen is the fastest way to get there, and still he feels like everything is moving very slowly.

Spitting profanities, his hair a mess, and his shirt (the one he wore earlier that day) all wrinkled, he yells, "What took you so long to answer the goddamn phone?

"I don't care about that! Why didn't you call me earlier?

"What do you mean 'I hang-up'? Where are they right now?

"The Karuizawa Hospital? I got it," he says, hanging up briskly, and dialing another number. "It's me. I want to check on two patients from a car accident."

The profanities stop at this point and there is a long pause as he listens carefully to the voice at the other end of the line. With every second he feels his grip on the phone loosen, and the view before him becoming a blur. Everything is all of a sudden going too fast, and he can feel his chest becoming heavier.

The road has been slippery, the rain terrible. Tamaki, apparently, has lose control of the car and crashed with a truck. Because of the impact, Tamaki has been thrown out of the car, and a passing driver has been quick enough to yank Haruhi to safety before the car has been consumed in flames. The two are still being operated for multiple injuries. An arm, ankle and femur, and several ribs and toes were broken, and a lung punctured. He cannot remember the rest. A thousand and one thoughts flood his mind, and he is struggling to remain in control. Kyoya Ohtori has always been in control.

"I understand. Please do your best," he says with great difficulty.

* * *

**LIMITLESS**

**An Ouran Host Fanfic by Akizuki Sai**

**Standard Disclaimers Apply**

* * *

A car is waiting for Kyoya when he arrives at the Karuizawa station at exactly eleven in the evening. After his call with one of the doctors at the hospital earlier, he has made arrangements with the butler in his family's vacation house, the local police, and a big news station. He does not want the media to make a feast out of the situation.

Over the last two years, tabloids have been watching the flamboyant Suoh heir, chronicling his whereabouts, his marriage with a law student from the lower class, and even his jobs – his part-time modeling job for a designer brand (Hitachiins'), the French classes he teaches at a local university, and the weekdays he spends playing the piano at a fancy restaurant. Just a couple of weeks ago, tabloids have featured a pregnant Haruhi reading a book in the park with a sleepy Tamaki lying on her lap.

Kyoya has long offered to help 'silence' the press, but Tamaki has talked him out of it. (_"It's not necessary. Haruhi and I have nothing to hide.")_ But the situation then is different from the situation now.

When Kyoya arrives at the hospital, Mori and Hunny are still on their way from a military camp in China, and only the twins, Hikaru and Kaoru, are there. The two look disoriented as they fidget at the small wooden benches outside the operating room. Hikaru's eyes are red, his fists swollen, and Kaoru looks placid, trying his best to remain calm for the sake of his brother. The sight of Kyoya relieves them, like kids delighted to see their mother.

"How are they?" he asks them, his voice flat, cold.

Before the twins can even answer, the doors of the operating room open, and nurses pull out a wheeled stretcher.

"_Tamaki."_

The Intensive Care Unit smells strongly of disinfectant. In a bed at one corner is Tamaki, bandaged, tubes all over his body. He is on life-support; a small machine at the side of his bed is providing air to his lungs.

Looking at him, Kyoya cannot understand how someone as loud and cheerful as Tamaki can be in such a cold, pallid room. The thought does not sit well with him. It is simply not right.

"Don't you dare die, you hear me?" he whispers, his vision blurring. Removing his glasses, he walks out of the room into the empty, narrow corridor. The next thing he knows, he is in Haruhi's room, the lights dimmed, and the twins sound asleep by the couch.

She looks so frail and scarred, a part of him wonders if his heart can feel any heavier, if things can get any worse. Then, Haruhi slowly opens her eyes, and looks at him confusedly.

She opens her mouth to say something, but not a word comes out as she tries to scan the room with great difficulty. Water slowly forms at the brim of her eyes telling Kyoya that she remembers what has happened, and he quickly rushes to hush her.

"It's all right now," he assures her, his slender fingers gently brushing away strands of hair away from her face. "It's all right."

"Everything will be all right," he repeats as if trying to sound convincing. To her, and mostly to his self.

Weak, Haruhi quickly falls back to sleep, and he blindly reaches for her hand and squeezes it.

"_God, please don't do this."_

**TBC**

* * *

Random Note/s:

- The Nagano Shinkansen takes a little more than an hour from central Tokyo to get to Karuizawa, while it takes more than two hours by car. The thought of Kyoya using a helicopter like Tamaki in Episode 15 crossed my mind, but considering the weather and Kyoya's character, I thought it will be more like him to take a bullet train. Also, they call first class seats green class.


	4. Chances

Kyoya wakes up the following morning with his head throbbing, his back aching, and with the sound of Haruhi screaming.

"Tamaki? Tamaki? Tamaki?"

Her voice sounds frantic, and scared, and breaking; and Hikaru quickly runs out of the room to call a doctor, while Kaoru tries to pacify her to no avail for he himself is panicking. "H-Haruhi! H-Haruhi! It's …it's okay… Haruhi!"

"Tamaki! Tamaki! Tamaki!" she calls out, as if not hearing Kaoru, and Kyoya stands by the side of the bed, unmoving, until a doctor comes in and gives her a tranquilizer.

"_Tamaki._"

Without a word, Kyoya puts on his glasses and walks out of the room, the twins watching him with forlorn eyes as Haruhi drifts back to sleep.

* * *

**LIMITLESS**

**An Ouran Host Fanfic by Akizuki Sai**

**Standard Disclaimers Apply**

* * *

The hall is empty, save for a janitor mopping the floor, and a nurse making her rounds. In front of the door leading to the Intensive Care Unit is Yuzuru Suoh, aged, exhausted, and disheveled. Beside him is a doctor talking in soft tones. Yuzuru cannot make sense of most of what he is hearing, and with an exasperated sigh he says, "Go straight to the point," with such bluntness that the doctor finds himself shuddering lightly.

Struggling to keep his composure, the doctor takes a deep breath and says, "He is suffering major brain damage. We're thinking of putting a shunt on his brain to drain the fluid from his bra-"

"I said go straight to the point! Can you cure my son or not?" Yuzuru yells, his voice echoing across the hall. The doctor looks shaken, his glasses falling at the bridge of his nose, and he tries to find his voice.

"I don't care about the expenses. I'll spend every single penny I have if needed. I want you to tell me if you can cure my son!" Yuzuru says, enunciating his words slowly, his words heavy.

The answer he gets from the doctor is not what he wants to hear, and he can feel his knees go weak, and he slowly crumbles to the floor.

"_We're trying our best, Mr. Suoh."_

At the end of the hall is Kyoya, his back against the wall, Hikaru and Kaoru right next to him. The three are wordless, frozen in their spots, uncertain of what to do next.

"Mr. Ohtori! What are you doing? Mrs. Suoh needs to rest," a nurse says alarmingly as Kyoya carefully carries Haruhi off the bed to a wheelchair with Hikaru's help. For a nurse, she doesn't seem cautious to keep her voice low at all. It is shrilly and annoying.

"Please stop this now. The doctor strictly instructed to keep Mrs. Suoh in bed!"

The two takes no regard of her, and wheels Haruhi away, and the nurse rushes to call her superior at the station across the hall in panic.

"Is this okay?" Hikaru anxiously asks Kyoya, looking at him from the corner of his eyes, trying to search for traces of doubt or fear or anything to give him an idea on what is on his mind. He sees nothing. Kyoya has nothing but a blank look in his eyes, making him shiver inadvertently.

Only the sound of the soles of their shoes making contact with the tiled floor, and the slight shaking of the wheelchair fills the air.

Adjusting his glasses, Kyoya stops on his tracks and says after minutes of silence, "Tell me, Hikaru. Can anything actually be okay at the current rate of things?"

Hikaru looks at Haruhi with sad eyes, his grip on the wheelchair tightening.

They have to try. It is the least that they can do.

Haruhi feels helpless. She is crying, and she cannot even wipe her own tears. Worse, she cannot even reach for Tamaki's hand as she looks at him in that lifeless room.

She remembers talking to him not too long ago at the car. They have been joking around, laughing. He has even hummed a few lines of a song from an old movie for her, his voice has been sweet and soothing.

He has just been smiling that childish grin of his not too long ago, she thinks to herself, not believing how drastically things are changing right before her very eyes.

She remembers holding hands with him then. His hand has been warm and smooth against hers, his fingers long and slender. She wants to hold his hands now, but her arm won't move no matter how hard she tries, and she scolds herself for being so helpless. Kyoya makes an attempt to assist her, but the determination mixed with despair in her eyes stops him.

She is trying hard. It is simply not right to interfere.

Outside, the twins are struggling to hold down the nurses and doctors with Hunny and Mori.

"Mrs. Suoh needs to rest."

"She can't go inside the ICU without being screened."

"We're doing our best to treat Mr. Suoh."

"Please stop this right now, and let us do our jobs."

"Please get out of the way."

"If you don't move, we'll have to call for security."

Annoyed, Hikaru clenches his fist and steps forward, and gets on his knees to everybody's surprise.

"Just this once… _please_," he murmurs, his head bent and sorry, "let her say goodbye…"

Two days after Haruhi's visit, Tamaki Suoh's vital signs have dropped.

**TBC**

* * *

Sai: I know a lot of you will hate me for this, but I'm a mere slave to my plot bunnies. I can assure you though that this fic remains Tamaki/Haruhi/Kyoya. How, why, where, what, and all sorts of questions about the course this story is taking will be answered in the succeeding chapters.

Okay, I think I need to stop talking at this point. Lots of love and thanks to all who reviewed!

**Note: **I edited some parts at the last portion of this chapter (Haruhi's scene - tenses). Special thanks to** asn water **for calling my attention.


	5. Strength

Haruhi has not been sleeping well during the last couple of days. In fact, she has not been sleeping at all. She has not been eating either.

One morning, a nurse comes into her room with a black kimono carefully wrapped in rice paper for her. With the help of a colleague, they have dressed her and loaded her in a vintage black car.

Outside a temple not too far from the hospital, Kyoya has been waiting for her.

Without waiting for the valet, he opens the door and carefully carries her to a wheelchair standing by, and she looks at him as if to ask, "_What now?"_ But his eyes remain blank, outlined by his glasses. With slightly shaking fingers, he places a _juzu_ in her hands, and wheels her inside the temple full of people dressed in black.

"Please be strong," he whispers, so softly he is not sure if she has heard him.

Throughout the wake, Haruhi has not said a word. Her eyes has been glazed and has been staring at something far off, she has not even noticed a Buddhist priest finishing a sutra. Everyone's faces have been a blur to her, their voices muffled with the sound of the rain.

Not a single thing is making sense to her until her eyes land on the polished casket by the altar, and the tears start to flood her eyes. It just won't stop.

* * *

**LIMITLESS**

**An Ouran Host Fanfic by Akizuki Sai**

**Standard Disclaimers Apply**

* * *

The day after the wake is the funeral. As the priest chants a sutra, Kyoya looks at Haruhi and thinks of what will become of her and of her baby, of how broken she looks, how helpless she is, and how time seems to have stopped.

When Tamaki's body is slowly placed into the cremation chamber, he deftly takes her shaking hand as she shut her eyes close. The only sound he can hear is her sobbing, and he tightens his hold on her hand as if to tell her, "_Please, don't let go_."

Haruhi needs to be strong, and even if she cannot, he will make sure he will be strong enough for the two of them and just about everyone else.

As they sit in the lobby, waiting for the ashes, Kyoya looks at a small window and notices the still dark sky, wondering if the rain will ever stop. It has been raining a lot lately, and a part of him wonders if it will be better if the entire world will just stop and drown itself.

As the guests one by one leave the hall, saying their condolences, Yuzuru Suoh walks toward Kyoya, holds his hand tenderly, and says, "Thank you."

Kyoya understands his actions very clearly and gives him a small comforting smile. Everyone knows it is no father's dream to be left behind by his own son. It is simply too much.

_Things are not supposed to be this way. _

Turning to Haruhi, Yuzuru bends down and embraces her.

"Please let me take care of you and my grandchild," he says, trembling, tears at the edges of his eyes as he looks at her.

The Suoh President's features remind Haruhi of her late husband, and she looks down, tears threatening to fall yet again, and she says, "I'm sorry, but I've decided I'll be staying in Karuizawa, at the Misuzu Pension."

Kyoya's paperwork is mountainous after being away for a week. Mrs. Ono has been nice enough to organize the files for him, stacking the documents from the most important ones to the least, along with a list of messages from associates that have been calling for days.

"I-I thought you're at Mr. Suoh's funeral," she says as she watches him quickly set to work upon entering the room. "You said you're not going to drop by the office today."

"Sudden change of plans," he tells her, efficiently going over the papers, signing one after the other, "I need you to reset my appointments for next week. Set it all at a sushi bar in Mampei Hotel."

"At Mampei Hotel…" Mrs. Ono repeats, scribbling on a small leather planner she pulled out from a nearby drawer. The name rings a bell to her, and she suddenly looks up at him and says, "That's in Karuizawa."

"Yes, I'll be staying at our vacation house there for a while," Kyoya says, starting to go over his plan of having Mrs. Ono deliver his paperwork on weekends while he is away. All calls will be forwarded to him in the evenings. Invitations to dinners, soirees, or any event will be turned down until further notice.

"W-What about your classes?" Mrs. Ono asks, surprised at Kyoya's plans. It all sounds sudden, rushed, and reckless – which is very unlikely of Kyoya, who she has always regarded as quick-witted. Looking at her young superior, she suddenly notices how gaunt Kyoya has been in a short span of time. He looks tired, and there is something about the sudden sharpness in his features that emanate an excruciating kind of sadness for her.

"I've already spoken to my professors. I'll just have to pass my thesis at the beginning of the year," Kyoya says in a matter-of-fact tone, not looking up.

"Does your father know about this?"

By Mrs. Ono's words, Kyoya suddenly stops writing, loosens his tie, removes his glasses, and takes a deep breath. There is a long pause, and finally he says, "No, I haven't told him yet. Please leave a message to his secretary. I'll have dinner with him today."

Yoshio Ootori is a strict man, about the same age as Yuzuru Suoh. He is stern, demanding, and has very high expectations for his children, especially Kyoya. Everything about him speaks of his authority – his thick lenses, his perfectly starched shirt, and his refined and controlled movements. He is someone who demands respect just by his air.

"You're staying at Karuizawa?" he asks Kyoya over dinner.

"Yes."

"What for?"

"We're starting a new hospital there, and I thought-"

"Does this have something to do with Tamaki's widow? I have heard she's staying at a pension there," Kyoya's father cuts in. His words are blunt and straight to the point, and Kyoya looks at him with a surprised look in his eyes, and does not answer.

His father takes it as his cue to continue talking, and running a hand on his now gray moustache he says, "Such a tragedy those two are. To think she's pregnant, and in such a terrible state at that. Yuzuru has told me she'll be undergoing therapy?"

"Yes, the accident paralyzed her arms and limbs."

"And she's almost on her third trimester?"

"Yes."

Kyoya can feel his mouth slowly become dry. His glass is almost empty, the alcohol failing to calm his nerves. For as long as he can remember, this is the first time he is actually unprepared for his father's questions. He has decided to stay in Karuizawa without much thinking. Had Mrs. Ono not reminded him, he would have forgotten about his father and his standing at the Ohtori family.

"You do know what you're getting into, son, don't you?" Yoshio asks him. There is a meaning behind his words, and Kyoya, anxious and flustered, hastily stands up and slams his hands on the table, sending some of his silverware on the floor.

"It's not what you think, Father. Haru-" he says, stopping in midsentence. Yoshio has raised his hand, telling him to stop and let him finish, and Kyoya cowers back to his seat as a maid picks up the silverware he has dropped. His hands, which he has nimbly hidden in the table's linen, are slightly shaking as he anticipates what his father has to say.

The silence is deafening as he watches his father take a sip of his wine, delicately dab a napkin on his lips, and order for the dessert to be served.

"Just make sure you don't neglect your studies, and that you don't miss your sister's Sunday brunches. I'll have the staff at Karuizawa expect you," he says, his voice still authoritative, but soft at the same time.

Kyoya looks stunned at his father's words, and after a brief moment says, "Thank you, Father."

The following morning, Kyoya leaves for Karuizawa by car. He has not been planning on taking much luggage with him – just a small traveling bag and his laptop – until his sister has insisted in _helping_ him with his packing.

His trunk now has four traveling bags, skiing equipment, golf clubs, tennis rackets, and a bag full of possibly every kind of medicine imaginable – food supplements, vitamins, and medicines for headaches, dizziness, muscle pains, and even laxatives much to his chagrin.

He has considered telling her that it is not necessary since he can get all those things in Karuizawa, but he does not have the heart to dampen his sister's enthusiasm, especially when she has given him two amulets before leaving; a _Koutsu Anzen _for him, and an _Anzan _for Haruhi.

"Please tell Haruhi that I'll visit her next time I come to Karuizawa," she has told him with a gentle smile that reminds him so much of their mother.

Kyoya has given her a small smile then, and Fuyumi has not been able to resist messing his hair affectionately before saying, "Call me anytime, okay? Take care."

**TBC**

* * *

Random Note/s:

- A _juzu _is a Buddhist rosary.

- Yoshio Ootori's age is not given in the manga or the series, I just assumed he is about the same age as Tamaki's father, or perhaps older. In this story, he is in his early 60's.

-_Koutsu Anzen_ is an amulet for drivers and travelers.

- An _Anzan_ is for protection for pregnant women during term and to ensure a safe and easy delivery.

- I originally wanted to make this chapter really short (just covering the funeral), but it is too short (barely 600 words), so I ended up adding parts I originally intended to be in the sixth chapter. A part of me thinks it makes the flow of events too fast, but then again, everything that happened here covers a span of two days. So, I guess it's okay. Also, I tried including the other Host Club members in some of the scenes, but had to scrap it at the last minute. You'll see them soon, just not now.


	6. Stiffening Silence

The Misuzu Pension is set amongst a thick forest of lush Japanese maple. In autumn, the forest is gloriously robed in crimson and gold, but with an unkempt front yard, a leaking roof by the east wing, broken windows by the second floor, and a deafening silence reigning in the air, the Misuzu Pension looks just like a deserted mansion in one of those horror movies. It is now a far cry from what it was about ten years ago.

With a growing competition with newly-opened resorts and vacation houses around the area, maintaining a pension as a one-man army proved to be a difficult task for Sonoda Misuzu.

A couple of months back, in hopes of reviving the pension, Tamaki and Haruhi have agreed to share ownership with Sonoda. Repairs, decorations, new recipes, tea parties, poetry readings, balls – they have a lot of plans, and as Kyoya looks at the slowly deteriorating house that cloudy Monday afternoon, he finds his chest feeling heavier yet again. He feels like time has stopped in that place, frozen in the middle of a very sad chapter of a still unfinished story.

"_Things aren't supposed to be this way_," he forlornly says to himself as he locks his car and walks into the lobby.

A grand piano yellowing in age is the first thing he notices upon his entry; and for a minute he remains standing there, staring at the old instrument with an expressionless look on his face.

Hesitantly, he raises a hand to touch the keys but withdraws it half-way. His vision is blurring yet again, and with a heavy sigh he tucks his hand in his pocket and walks towards the east wing, his chest still heavy.

It is midmorning, and an average sized window at the farthest corner of the hall provides the corridor a small amount of light. Slouched against one of the walls are Hikaru and Kaoru, sound asleep with a small blanket of a dull shade of blue draped over them. Opposite the twins is Mori, seating uprightly, Hunny sleeping on his lap.

"Mori-sempai," Kyoya calls out, walking towards his senior.

Mori looks at him stoically as ever, his hair ruffled, and dark patches under his eyes. Unshaven, Mori looks older, tired, and raw-boned.

"Your voice," he says monotonously, "keep it low. They're sleeping."

"I'm sorry. How is Haruhi?"

"She ate. Very little. She says she's okay."

"A therapist from our hospital is supposed to be here –"

"She left. Haruhi won't see her."

"I-I see."

"She fell asleep just now."

"You've all been watching over her?"

Mori says nothing in reply. His silence suffices.

Casting another look at the sleeping twins, Kyoya pushes his glasses back at the bridge of his nose, and heads towards the door.

"I'll go check on her," he says, "I'll have somebody come over and help Ms. Misuzu cook lunch. Please have Hunny-senpai and the twins rest in one of the rooms."

"K-Kyoya…"

"What is it sempai?"

Mori looks down at the floor. It takes him a minute before he can open his mouth; his eyes on the floor, he mumbles, "What should we do now?" with great difficulty.

"What we can," is all Kyoya says before disappearing to the door, his voice unnervingly gentle and certain that for a moment it feels like his words are echoing all over the silent corridor.

"But what can we do?" Kaoru murmurs, opening his eyes as the door closes. "All this time it has been a carriage ride, a fairy tale, but aren't fairy tales supposed to end happily ever after?"

Beside him, Hikaru opens his eyes and glances at the door, his fists shaking.

"I guess… real life doesn't," he says, bitterness dripping in his voice.

* * *

**LIMITLESS**

**An Ouran Host Fanfic by Akizuki Sai**

**Standard Disclaimers Apply**

* * *

It is already sunset when Haruhi wakes up. From her bedroom window, the sky is a beautiful shade of orange and blue, like paint splattered in a white canvass. The wind is playing with the curtains, sending it flying in every direction, silhouetting Kyoya, who is busy reading a book in an armchair near the bed. When it finally mellows down, she squints and squirms in a struggle to sit up. Her arms and limbs remained limp, however.

Instinctively, Kyoya looks up at her, and quickly closes his book to help her.

"You must be hungry. Ms. Misuzu prepared a nice lunch for you, should I ask somebody to bring it up?" he asks.

"W-What are you doing here?" Haruhi asks, not answering Kyoya's question.

"As you can see, I was reading," he says sardonically, "and just a couple of seconds ago, I was asking you if you would like to have lunch."

She takes no regard of the sarcasm in his tone and asks him another question: "Aren't you supposed to be in Tokyo?"

"I was in the area. I thought I'd drop by," Kyoya says, not at all frazzled.

Haruhi raises a questioning brow at him.

"Why did you think of dropping by?" she asks.

"Because I've been told that you haven't been eating much, and that you don't want to see the therapist," Kyoya says. Running a hand on his hair in exasperation, he removes his glasses and looks at her seriously.

Haruhi feels a chill run down her spine, and for a moment Haruhi looks scared, but she quickly brushes it off and says, "It' doesn't matter. I won't get better anyway."

"If you keep up this fasting of yours, yes, you won't get better."

"I'm not really hungry."

"It's not about having the appetite, you know," Kyoya says, kneeling by her bedside, his dark eyes looking straight to her brown ones. "You're a smart girl. I don't think I need to explain that to you."

"Perhaps you should," Haruhi says, stubbornly looking away.

Kyoya gives out another sigh and with gentle, swift fingers moves Haruhi's chin so that she is looking straight back at him. Surprise is evident in her pallid face.

"You can't die, do you hear me?" he says in a bare whisper. "Your life… it isn't just yours anymore."

Haruhi's eye begins to well up by his words, and she looks down, her hair cascading towards her face, and strands of it brushing against Kyoya's nose as the wind blows. The silence between them is stiffening, like an invisible hand choking the life out of them.

Haruhi opens her mouth a number of times, wanting to say something, but not a word escapes from her lips until she felt Kyoya slowly placing his hands on her small shoulders, and her sobs slice through the silence as he pulls her close.

"I m-miss him," she says in between her sobs, "I miss him."

_But when the melancholy fit shall fall _

_Sudden from heaven like a weeping cloud_

_That fosters the droop-headed flowers all_

_And hides the green hill in an April shroud;_

_Then glut thy sorrow on a morning rose_

_Or on the rainbow of the salt sand-wave_

_Or on the wealth of globed peonies;_

_Or if thy mistress some rich anger shows_

_Emprison her soft hand, and let her rave_

_And feed deep, deep upon her peerless eyes._

**.**

**TBC**

* * *

Random Note/s:

-The stanza quoted above is from John Keat's Ode on Melancholy, which is one of the inspirations of this story.

- I've been contemplating for some time if I should still use some of the usual prefixes (like _sempai_). I decided to keep it since I can't picture them otherwise.

- I opted to keep the length of each chapter to more or less a thousand and a hundred (sometimes two) words. Writing this can be fun but at the same time depressing, and I figured that drama is better in small doses. Forgive me for the shortness.

Sai: I know it's been almost a year since I last updated this story. Rest assured that Limitless will not be discontinued. I just had a lot of issues to deal with, particularly with my university and personal life (and it didn't help that I've lost my notes for this story half a year ago), thus the long unexpected hiatus.

Thank you for all the helpful and wonderful comments. I really appreciate it.


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